About MTTC Test

The MTTC(Michigan Test for Teacher
Certification) is
a program that has been established with the aim of helping the state
of Michigan to ensure that the teachers teaching in Michigan schools
have the requisite basic skills and subject-area knowledge. It is
evident that you need to have skills of the necessary level in order to
pass the MTTC tests and to demonstrate your competence in teaching
students in Michigan schools.

How to Become a Certified Teacher in Michigan?

You
may have decided to pursue a career in teaching in Michigan, but
passing the MTTC is a hurdle that you will have to overcome for being
certified to teach in Michigan schools

The
process for grant of teacher certification in Michigan will require you
to

Pass the MTTC Basic Skills test

Pass the related subject-area tests (you may be required to take
more than one subject-area test depending upon the certification
requirements and your choice of subjects)

Meet certain other requirements like passing the Elementary
Education test (if applicable), complete coursework in a teacher
preparation program including the required field and clinical
experience etc.

You
will have to go through the MTTC Registration Bulletin available at the
official website of the test,www.mttc.nesinc.comand identify the specific
requirements that you will have to satisfy to earn the type of teacher
certification that you are looking for. For instance, you need to pass
the Basic Skills test only if you have applied for a Michigan
provisional teaching certificate and it is also a requisite for
enrolling in student teaching.

What is MTTC?

The MTTC is designed to evaluate your competence in imparting
quality education as per the state standards. The skills being tested
by MTTC can be classified as:

Basic skills: These are the
basic skills related to reading, mathematics and writing which are
necessary for every individual who wants to pursue a career in
education. Moreover, these skills are necessary for being able to
communicate effectively which is essential for being a successful
teacher.

Subject specific skills:
You will have to choose a subject area depending upon the subject you
wish to teach and the type of teaching certificate you have applied
for. The subject-area test will
evaluate your skills and knowledge related to that subject. Your
knowledge and skill levels in the subject area should be of the level
that is expected of a teacher teaching that subject in Michigan
schools.

How are Different Skills Evaluated by MTTC?

Each of the MTTC tests has a test format that assesses specific
skills of the test-takers. This is achieved by means of different types
of questions. The questions that are asked in the
test can be broadly classified into two main categories:

Multiple-Choice questions: You will have to
choose the correct answer from the given options.

Performance assignments:
You will be required to respond to the question asked by carrying out a
specific task. For instance, the Basic Skills test consists of a
performance assignment which is basically a writing task. The world
language tests will consist of a combination of multiple-choice
questions and performance assignments.

The procedure for evaluating different skills has been made simpler
by classifying all the MTTC tests as per the skills being evaluated.

Basic Skills test: This test evaluates your basic skills by
presenting you with a total of 85 multiple-choice questions
and one
performance assignment (a writing task). All the questions asked are
divided into 3 test sections; Reading, Mathematics and Writing. Each of
the test sections is scored separately and you cannot pass the Basic
Skills test unless you pass all the 3 individual test sections. There
is no requirement of retaking a test section once you have already
passed it. In other words, you can take the test sections independently
in order to meet the Basic Skills test passing requirements.

Subject-area tests: There is a separate
subject-area test for each subject field.

How are the Questions Scored?

The number of multiple-choice questions that you have answered
correctly will count towards your final MTTC scaled scores. There will
be no penalty if you have answered a question incorrectly. There could
be some trial questions included in the tests. Your responses to these
questions will not count towards your scaled scores. The scaled scores
range from 100 to 300. You need to score a minimum of 220 to pass the tests.

Apart from assessing your performance in the entire test, your
performance in the subareas for each test will also be evaluated. Your
score report will display your passing status, which is whether you
have passed the test or not. The
total test score will be displayed only if you have failed in the test.
Your score report will also contain information about how you have
performed in the different subareas for each test with details of how
to interpret your scores. If you need to take a retest, your
performance in the subareas will help you in identifying the skills and
subject areas which you need to improve upon for passing the test.

Your unofficial scores will be posted on the official website on the
score report date that has been specified for each test. You will
receive the official score reports by mail and they will be mailed to
you on the score report date for the test taken by you. Check the MTTC
Registration Bulletin from the official website for the score report
dates for each test administration.

When and How to Register for MTTC?

Get in touch with your academic advisor for guidance on when to take
MTTC. It is generally recommended that you take the test
early in your college program. However, it will be advantageous for you
if you take the subject-area tests after you have completed a major
portion of your college coursework in that subject field.

Registering for MTTC will start with a visit to the official website of the test, www.mttc.nesinc.com. You will
need to identify the tests
that you have to take and then you can select a suitable test date.
Then you need to select the test area where you would like to take the
test. Make sure that you have already short listed the institutions to
which you would like to send your scores. Provide the details of these
institutions at the time of registration. You can register for the test either through the internet or
telephone or U.S mail. You can register for the
test through the internet (the official website) for all
registration periods. You can register for the
test by mail only during the regular and late registration
periods. You can use the telephone to register for the test
only during the emergency registration period. Check the official
website for details of the registration periods for each MTTC test.

How to Prepare for MTTC?

The first step in preparing for
MTTC is to go through the test
content for the test that you are scheduled to take. Understand the
test objectives and the subareas for each test. Study guides for each
MTTC test are available at the official website. These study guides can be
downloaded free of cost and they contain sample questions and tips for
preparing for the specific test.
Make sure that you go through these study guides and you can also buy
other study guides if you feel that these are insufficient. Your
performance in sample tests will help you in self-assessment and in
gauging the type and level of preparation required by you for passing
the tests. Take the assistance of a
prep course if you are not confident of your skill levels in the
subject areas being assessed by the test.
There are a host of websites that provide assistance in preparing for the test.

Put in your level best and
study hard for the test. Preparing for the test is one aspect of taking the tests that cannot be ignored at any
cost. Pay due attention to preparing for the test and you will pass the test with flying colours!